Nothing has been changed in the operation of today police in comparison with the soviet militia: the same mentality, same methods and objectives. According to the opinion established and still persisting up to present the police is considered to be simony -- a place where there is a good possibility for "making money". That is why notwithstanding rather a low remuneration of police officers number of employees there is rather high.
Like police practically no reform has been carried out in the prosecutor's office. The prosecutor's office fails to exercise the function of supervision on the execution of punishments. In fact it represents a supplement to the police and often serves to the interests of connivance of the offences committed by police officers.
On 16 November 2001 27 yeas old Zezva Nadiradze was arrested and tortured severely in a cell of temporary arrest at the Chugureti Police Station. He was requested to sign already composed testimonies according to which he confessed in participation in on one of the Tbilisi Bank robberies. As a result of torture Nadiradze had several bodily injuries.
A Member of the Parliament Gocha Jojua was beaten severely by the Chief of the Ecological Police, former Chief of the Tbilisi Police Directorate General Soso Alavidze on 18 November 2001.
On 22 February 2001 22 years old Dimitri Romanov and his mother Ljubov Storjhenko were beaten in the Gldani-nadzaladevi Police Station. At the beginning 4-5 individuals were merely beating Romanov. Then he was forced to lie on the floor and leave his legs on a chair. One of the policemen was pressing his lower extremities onto chair by his feet while two other were holding his hands and the forth was hitting him on his heels, feet and knees with a leg of chair with an insulating tape on it. The policemen menaced him to sit him on a bottle. After the all above-mentioned the investigator asked him whether he was confessing the crime (they were incriminating him in the commission of robbery of three apartments: apparently they wanted to held him responsible for each unsolved case). He refused to do so and the investigator said that now he would call their "little torturers". Now he was attacked by 7 individuals. They lay him prone, face downwards, brought a bottle and began undoing his trousers. He begged of them for stopping it. Then they said it was just a joke and resumed beating. At the beginning the investigator was watching this scene but presently took a rubber truncheon and was hitting him on his back and head until he fainted. At this time Romanove's mother came to the police station and asked the policemen to show his son to her. She was slapped in her face. The woman was holding two years girl (Masha Storojhenki) in her arms which nearly was dropped onto the floor. When on the same day the Human Rights defenders got involved in the case the police stated that "nobody has ever touched the boy and neither anybody was going to injure him". Romanov was released next day (23 February). While releasing him one of the policemen warned Romanov's mother that if "his guys" were going to get harmed they would kill all their relatives. At the same time they had a separate conversation with the arrested. The latter was told that if he did not keep silent they would arrest him on the street, put drugs in his pocket and then brought charges against him. Romanov was severely beaten up in the same police station in November last year. On the day of his release the emergency doctors drafted a conclusions. Four witnesses stated injuries on his face, body and extremities as well as a trace of cigarette burning on his forehead when an independent expert Ms Maia Nikoleishvili was examining him (official forensic expertise are different from conclusion given by Ms. Nikoleishvili).
On 13 April 2001the Chief of the Tbilisi Police -- Mr. Soso Alavidze, Deputy Chief -- Mr. Ushangi Mgeladze and other policemen with the view of getting confession severely beaten Mr. Soso Lomtadze in the Chugureti Police Station. Mr. Lomtadze hardly escaped the death.
On 23 August 2001 under the order of the Chief of the Central Directorate of the Ministry of Interior Mr. Alavidze Mr. Nugzar Bochorishvili was arrested. They "put" weapon "CHZ" and searched him unlawfully. On 10 November 2001 he was illegally moved from Prison #5 to a cell of temporary arrest of the Ministry of Interior where for two days at first Georgian and then Russian policemen tortured him. They are identified, forensic-medical expertise is conducted and the fact of beating is established. In this regard criminal proceedings have been instituted but as a result of months investigation no criminal responsibility has been brought on anybody.
On 4 February 2001 the employees of the Central Directorate of the Ministry of Interior arrested and placed in solitary confinement cell Mr. Gela Totokhashvili. Instead of notifying the investigator in charge. On the same day Mr. Totokhashvili was beaten and held in illegal detention until 10 February (only then the investigator was notified) thus 72 hours time limit provided for by the Constitution being violated.
On 8 April 2001 in Kutaisi Ms. Giorgi Zedashidze was arrested. He underwent forensic-medical expertise, which confirmed the fact of his beating at the police station. At present he is released under the court order.
On 2 May 2001 the employees of the Central Directorate of the Ministry of Interior beat in a solitary confinement cell Mr. Roman Kvanchiani, which is confirmed by medical records.
Numerous facts of illegal arrest and beatings of individuals in Rustavi in 2001 was established: In January in 2001 a police officer of police station #2 of the Rustavi Police Mr. G. Bokelia arrested Mr. Mindia Olgesashvili. The latter was subjected to physical violence and torture in the Police station On 9 June Manoli Liluashvili was unlawfully arrested. On 15 July the officers of the Rustavi City Police of the Ministry of Interior unlawfully arrested Mr. Iuri Mishev; On 28 August they severely beat Mr. Levan Chrelashvili; On 24 October there was established a fact of beating of Mr. Mamed Japarogli and putting of drugs by the policemen of Rustavi;
The facts of threatening on the part of the officials against the representatives of the NGOs:
In May 2001 a newspaper interview given by Ms.. Nana Kakabadze - the President of the NGO "Former Political Prisoners for Prisoners' Human Rights" caused the rage of Mr. Domiko Devnozashvili - #5 Prison Governor of the Penitentiary Department of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia. Ms. Kakabadze criticised in the interview unlawful actions of the Prison Administration. Because of the interview Mr. Devnozashvili threatened Ms. Kakabade with physical eradication which was witnessed by some 10 people.
In Autumn of 2001 indignation of a Member of the Parliament was caused by inquest of his financial activities and incrimination in financial machinations by a representative of an NGO "Liberty Institute" Mr. Givi Targamadze. Because of the aforementioned Mr. Pirveli assaulted Mr. Targamadze and threatened him with death.
Ms. Nana Kakabadze
President
NGO The Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights
40, Rustaveli Ave. 380008
Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel.: 995 32 93 13 10
Fax.: 995 32 92 05 09
E-mail: nana_ka@hotmail.com